Hunter
by Symbolic
Summary: AU Hiei is an assassin who infiltrates Youko's castle as a slave to avoid suspicion. Getting in was easy. Everything else...YAOI kids! currently being rewritten and finished
1. Game Start

The Reason I've been gone for longer than should be naturally possible! Revisions. I've made each chapter way longer than they originally were and you'll find my style of writing has become much clearer and more detailed, with a better plot line.

I've changed so much, one of the things being the obscenely quick death of one of my original character Jaki (A villain for those who are worried about things becoming Hiei or Kurama OC). Also, I've added lots of missing things, so if you've already read this story, I say re-read it. You'll be happier for it. Okay, so

Disclaimer: I own nothing (save the pennies I occasionally find on the pavement)

And on with the New Re-done and Re-vamped Fic!

Within the magnificently painted throne room depicting battles of fallen heroes and rising evils, a small figure clad in black stood idly, red eyes closed in the pretense of being relaxed, only an intense grip on the hilt of his sword giving his terseness away. Briefly, he inclined his head minutely to show a flash of respect for the lord sitting in front of him.

"You called?" He questioned calculatingly, eyes cracking open under thick lashes, sticking on the demon in front of him, who was currently swishing wine around in a intricately designed glass playfully, a smirking playing across his lips. He too was attired in black, though much more lightly, wearing a tank top and some elegant slacks, instead of the cloak the other chose to cover himself in. Slicked-back hair shone greenish in the dim light, and narrow eyes were set on a long face.

"I have need of your services Hiei." The man told the smaller demon, which was nothing new. He had worked odd jobs for this lord several times before. Hiei grunted out a noncommittal monosyllabic sound. The demon lords nodded slightly in acquiesce.

"Yes I suppose I should get right down to business. I believe you've heard of Itsuki?"

Another grunt, this one sounding more of confirmation. Who wasn't aware of the famous Itsuki, who had ripped open the barrier, bringing earth into chaos? It had been hundreds of years since then and Koenma was still having cows about it.

"Good. I have need of a physic and after the massacre of 1450, there are only three left, soon to be none as they're all fully male. Itsuki is right now the closest, staying with Lord Youko Kurama until a place of his own is built. Usually I would wait until Itsuki was safely installed in his own home instead of hiring a assassin to retrieve him from one of the most impenetrable locations in Makai, but I am unfortunately, running out of time."

Sighing, he pulled out a small lumpy bag tied off with a purple string. With a flick of his wrist, he flung the bag at Hiei, who caught easily, untying the bag immediately to reveal hundreds of gold

coins.

"500 gold pieces in advance for taking the job, and another 900 awaiting you after you complete your task." He told Hiei gruffly, signaling a man with a blue turban wrapped around his head to escort Hiei out.

"And how shall I reach you when I have the package?" Hiei asked coolly after having making sure the coins were in fact, real.

His client smirked smugly. "Come back here and ask for Sensui. That is all you need do." He stretched languidly, rising off his throne to exit deeper into his mansion as Hiei flitted away to start his job, not waiting for the escort.

Itsuki let the sun beat gently on his face, wind playing with his little over shoulder length

hair.

"You live in a truly beautiful place Kurama." He said in a soft alto. The demon behind him laughed prettily.

"I'd call it deadly rather than beautiful. You forget about this fortresses defenses."

Kurama was a faired skinned Youko, with liquid silver cascading down his back. Golden eyes spoke of pride within his lands as he swept a well-manicured hand over them.

"Every single plant out there is always poised to attack. Unless you have a particularly cruel streak within you, I'd hardly be able to call the landscape pretty." Itsuki smiled.

"Well I must be twisted for I see nothing but beauty wherever I look. And so would any intruder, for is it not true that unless you were particularly dumb or suicidal would you otherwise come within ten miles of such a garden? The aesthetic value draws them in."

Kurama bowed his head in defeat. "You got me. Alright, alright, I admit it, my garden is beautiful, in which nothing can surpass it save its creator." He delicately put a thin hand on his chest. "Me."

Itsuki chuckled, deciding not to comment as the point was valid and nothing short of an ugly haircut and severe cosmetic damage would change the viewpoint that many held that Kurama was the "fairest in the land". Instead, he opted to change subjects.

"Talking about beauty, that pretty maid that served us tea today has caught my interest…"

Youko laughed. "You needn't ask if you can bed any one of my slaves. They are trained quite well in many areas, not just in serving tea." He laughed again, wiggling his tail suggestively.

"I would tell you if I didn't want you touching one of my pets."

"Oh yes, pets." Itsuki started lightly, pleased he had been given permission, "I hear Yomi is getting you a slave for your Birthday next week. This would be the tenth time in a row."

Kurama snorted. "He just picks them up at the cheapest place he can get because he knows I personally thank any guests who bring me presents as custom bid by Inari himself. After that one night fling about seven hundred years ago he hasn't been able to forget. Which, of course, he wouldn't, if sleeping with me." Then Youko frowned. "It grates on my nerves at how many times he's asked me to marry him though."

"The poor fool is blind in more ways than one." Itsuki uttered softly, making both of them laugh mildly at the joke.

Hiei soon found out unless he wanted to act as a one-man army by burning down all the savage demon-eating foliage, try to take on Youko's guards, Youko himself, then face fighting his package and damaging it, and planning on getting back to Sensui's alive if not totally in one piece he would have to try a different way.

So, after walking around the castle a few times and coming up with nothing save a way to kill himself off if he ever felt the need, a totally stumped Hiei sat down to wait for a answer to come to him. Which, five days later it did.

In form of a slave wagon.

_Giving a slave for a birthday_ Hiei thought in disgust, frowning harshly. Having been one for a few demeaning years of his life, it was one of the few demons he could sympathize with.

Yet it was a way in and the 900 gold pieces waiting back for him was plenty motive to swallow his pride and sneak inside the cart.

"I am freeing you." Hiei whispered uncharacteristically gentle as he slit the slave's throat. After disposing of the body in a nearby ditch and covering the body sufficiently enough to hide the scent of decaying flesh, Hiei than climbed into the now empty cage, hesitantly putting on the wards and collar, closing the cage door quietly.

He had just finished when the guards came back from their break. A flashy multicolor cloth went over his cage enclosing him in a dark pink area. A few minutes later, he was hanging onto the bars to steady himself from jolting with the wagon, heading toward Youko's castle.

"God help me." Hiei muttered softly, fleetingly wondering—better late than never—what kind of slave he had killed and taken the place of.

After a few seconds of pondering, he decided he'd rather just not know.

For such a small travel, it seemed like eternity. Though he could easily plot out the direction and speed they were going, Hiei still disliked the idea of being blind: by a pink clown cloth no less. Yet, as all trips tended to do, this one finally ended. The wagon stopped abruptly in the exact second of his calculations, where his cage was than hauled and carried into what Hiei could only assume was the castle.

I'm definitely a present. Hiei confirmed as a pair of clothes was tossed through the bars for him to change into. He put them on grudgingly. They were revealing, just covering what they had too, no more, no less. Blindingly bright tacky red pumps with ripped

fishnets. No shirt was given, but the fishnets stopped right above his knees, going up his thighs in a thick black stripe on either side of his leg, attaching to tight black shorts. Hiei kept his white scarf around his neck, playing embarrassedly with the frayed edges.

"This better be a private giving." Hiei gritted out, shaking his head in shame. His anti-gravity hair, black with blue highlights at the edges, a white starburst in the center, shook in the opposite direction his head went, firmly refusing to be like any other types

of tresses.

Hiei was shaken out of his depression when a coarse voice whispered for him to stand up.

"In honor of your birthday, I give you my present that I think you'll find worthy as one such as yourself!" The rough voice turned into a deep booming pleasingly musical one, shouting to what Hiei could only imagine was a crowd. He cursed at god, cringing, but

quickly hiding his momentary weakness immediately as the cloth that hid him from the world and vise versa was flung off dramatically. The crowd gasped and so did Hiei as he heard the start of pounding music. _What? You're kidding me? I'm a Sex slave! How fucking—_

_Fantastic!_ Youko thought, licking his lips in anticipation. _He's breathtaking! Yomi did well, very well! Better than expected! What a sexy piece of—_

_Shit! What the hell am I supposed to do? Where's directions when you need them?_ Hiei thought, mentally beating his nerves to a pulp so they wouldn't bother him.

_I'm not here to make old men happy, I'm here to retrieve the Package and bring it to my Client. I'll just walk back and forth._ With the plan firmly in mind, Hiei began walking to one side, but had to bend down as his ankle gave out under the pressure of walking in six-inch heels. _Fuck it, the crowd can go to—_

_Heaven for all I can tell!_ Kurama gasped as the figure onstage bent down, touching the floor, coming up slowly, face always on the audience. _Paradise! I'm in_—

_Hell._ Hiei gasped silently as he wobbled yet again. Coming back up, he spotted a chair with a rope hanging by it.

_God damn it I should be suspicious when something pops up out of nowhere, but desperate times call for desperate measures!_ Hiei awkwardly made his way to the chair, clinging to the rope to steady himself. A rush of cold water came down upon his head, making him arch in shock, gasping for hair.

_Damn! I should have known! Oldest thing in the book! This night is just—_

_Too perfect!_ Youko huffed quietly, leaning forward in his chair. He swept the room to see who else liked his pet. Many were in the same position as him, while others, having less control were already reduced to rocking violently on the chair or touching

themselves.

_Mmm, so—_

_Foolish! I'm a sex object and you think they're going to put out a chair for no reason other than have me sit down? _Hiei berated himself again, shaking his head and making his way as far as possible from the chair.

He felt his ears twitched and breathed a sigh of relief. _Finally—_

_The music's fading! Damn! Ah well… at least there's the after party…_Youko thought gleefully, rolling his shoulders in anticipation. He discreetly signaled to have his gift brought to his room. _Yes, tonight will be a good one indeed…_

Hiei was unhappily sandwiched in-between two drunk and very horny guards who by some unspoken agreement were taking turns attempting to grope him, unable to understand why they kept missing as Hiei subtly twisted from their reaching hands.

Though the whole process was as humiliating as the last three hours of his life had been, he took the opportunity to map out the inside of the castle, making a mental mark when they passed his package's room.

A few more turns and Hiei was led into an elaborately decorated…bed?

That's all it really was, with roses and thorns on little corners and a wide canopy covering the whole area like the mattress. Taking a quick tour of the chamber for all the crooks and crannies, he found a small ventilation to climb through. At best it would be hooked to a main system, which would lead him to his package's room. At worst, it would bring him to a hallway. Neither option was horrible and well worth the risk as benefit priced in 900 gold pieces.

Right then, first things first. Hiei viciously kicked off his heels, harshly tearing off the cheap stockings. Then, unwrapping his scarf from his neck, he shook it out. A pair of pants tumbled out, complete with a few belts. Changing into his customary sweats, Hiei let out a sigh of relief.

"Feels damn good not to be wearing that…thing." He spat at the revealing outfit. Leaning against the door, Hiei listened for footsteps. Soft almost inaudible ones were coming his way, turning into the room Hiei had pegged as his packages'. In a blink of an eye he was gone, up his escape route.

Not a second later, Youko came in, licking his lips in anticipation to see…

No one.

Kurama frowned severely. "If my pet thinks he can just put on a display like that then run away, he's severely mistaken. Youko does not let his prey escape."

Kurama surveyed his room carefully, bullion orbs alighting on a slightly askew vent cover.

"Ah, I've found you my dear but you were clumsy in your underestimation of me. And you thought you could getaway my dear pet, my sweet dear." Youko babbled, smiling.

"You must be punished!" He practically cooed, before vanishing as well in pursuit.

Lady Luck was on his side tonight. He sat, merely a darker shadow than the rest watching the package his client had called 'Itsuki' brush his teeth. The victim finished with a flourishing spit into the sink, then walked towards Hiei's hiding spot, who in turn suppressed an urge to grin feral-like, least his teeth reflect off anything. If only this assignment was for a kill…ah well.

Just a little closer…A little more…

"Enjoying the scenery?" A seductive voice whispered in his ear, making him jump, going for his sword, before cursing himself silently as he didn't bring it with him into the castle. Turning slowly so as not to startle the still oblivious package below, or himself for that matter, he came face to face with the master of the palace.

Youko.

_Who the seven hell's bother's to follow an escaped slave anyways? Onto roof supports no less!_ Hiei thought in amazement and not a little amount of irritation. Not that he'd admit anything like that aloud. _Stupid fox._

"Come back with me to my room." Youko leaned over to purr in his ear. "After all, you _were_ a gift."

Without waiting for an answer, Kurama grabbed Hiei's waist, leaping gracefully back to his room: curtsey of airway tunnels.

Which is where Hiei was attempting to get away from to begin with.

"Talk about going in circles." He muttered sullenly, to soft for anyone to here, his mind conjuring the oddest image of Lady Luck sailing away on one of those newfangled camera eyeballs, waving a handkerchief.

Itsuki shivered as his physic senses began acting up again. They'd been going on the fritz ever since the performance of Kurama's newest slave.

"Probably my imagination." He murmured aloud. "If anything, Kurama's the one who should worry as Yomi's not going to go a whole night without asking how he liked the gift."

Then proposing.

He chuckled aloud to put himself at ease, climbed into bed and drifted away into an uneasy sleep about shadows stabbing him repeatedly. So deep in his slumber, he missed the huge bang, followed by a rumble and a mini earthquake directed toward Youko's room.


	2. Black's Move

Whew. It's been a while, but I'm back, rewriting and this time finishing the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own.

"You ruined my roof!" Kurama trembled, devastated. All his stunning roses, reduced to ash as his pet had let out a sudden growl of frustration before shooting a stream of dark fire at his ceiling, blowing it sky high. Conjuring up a few more fireproof vines to hold his struggling toy, he applied some wards to his pet.

Hiei's flames went out as if an invisible bucket of water had suddenly poured itself over him, so he just settled for smoking.

_If I can't incinerate you, I'll settle with smoking in front of you! Feel the second-hand! _Hiei though viscously, if not a bit out of character.

Kurama, lost in his own thoughts, choked as the smoke made its way into his lungs suddenly (As planned). Irritation mad its way up his throat and the Youko found himself snarling.

"You better please me well." Kurama warned his slave, slapping him harshly. Then he pulled his new toy into a bruising kiss, which his pet struggled fiercely against, to no avail.

"What's your name baby?" He hummed, more forgiving after getting some action, however miniscule.

"Hn." Hiei glared. Oh if looks could kill…

Well perhaps it's better they didn't. Hiei hated nearly everybody, but he wouldn't have anything to do if they were all piles of ash from his literal death glare.

"Well, then I will just have to name you, if you will not speak!" Youko announced, quite pleased to have thought of such an idea, eyes sparkling with mischief.

Hiei faltered as he watched the twinkle strengthen until it had grown to a bonfire to match his own powers and changed his mind. Anytime his looks decided to get their act together to murder demons he started at was just fine with him.

"Puh-lease tell me your name?" Youko pouted, fluttering his lashes teasingly in such a way that would make anyone go weak in the knees.

Hiei, however, not being just anyone, thus immune to most things (save his sister's smiles) merely raised an eyebrow. "Hn."

Youko growled, throwing his arms up. "Well fine! Then I'll call you Kohana!"

Hiei looked incredulously at the now preening fox demon.

"Little flower?" He asked, arching his eyebrow yet again. At the Youko's nod, he sighed.

"Hn." It wasn't the defeated 'hn' Kurama was waiting for, but it was one of momentary resignation. Unfortunately, this was not what Kurama had had in mind when he had chosen the ridiculous name for his unwilling toy.

Speaking of unwilling…

_Yomi said the present would be perfectly trained._ He thought suddenly, feeling slight anger bubbling up within him. He hated false advertisement.

When he came back into reality, 'Kohana' as he had dubbed his pet was glaring at him sexily, making his breath hitched and chase away all thoughts of Yomi from his mind.

In the meantime, Hiei was having some angry thoughts of his own.

_This fool is in the way of me delivering my package!_ He fumed silently, glaring his worst at Youko, who, instead of the desired effect of (A) cowering (B) running away, or his favorite, (C) crying in fear altogether, merely shivered, eyes glazing over in desire.

And if that wasn't bad enough, he had been named Kohana, "Little Flower".

A woman's name.

If he weren't bound by assassin's code to never reveal his true identity to someone who could be an enemy he would be screaming it at the top of his lungs.

"At least things can't get any worse." He muttered inaudibly.

But as things have a way of challenging everything you say at that exact moment, a huge hole was blown through the sidewall, frying the supposedly fire-proof vines and blowing Hiei and Kurama both to the other side of the room.

Youko growled, hurriedly rewrapping Hiei in his vines before he could even register his freedom.

"Stay here love. I'll be right back and then we'll have some fun with no more distractions." He bent down over a struggling Hiei, looking him in the eye.

Defiant crimson met stern gold.

"Or arguments." Kurama stood at his full seven-foot height, towering over Hiei.

"I am the master." He uttered firmly in departure, sweeping out of the rooms and calling for his guards to capture the intruder.

Hiei tested the strength of the green cords half-heartedly. In his warded state, they were impossible to get off—as he had assumed already—but survival instinct dictated he try anyway.

"Mr. Sensui has reduced your time limit to three days." A nauseatingly cheery voice cut in from above.

Hiei ground his teeth, glaring at the user of the voice balefully.

"Excuse me?" He gritted out, looking up to see the owner of the voice to be a ferry girl with blue hair and wide pink eyes.

"Sensui wants Itsuki **_now_** silly!" She giggled.

"Hn." He growled in response, making her fly backwards uneasily. Her smile slipped and she frowned.

"Well no need to get all grumpy! I'm just doing as Sensui-sama ordered!" she took off at high speeds with a huff and a squeak as he snarled threateningly after her.

Satisfied that no, he had not lost his touch, the stupid fox was just plain insane, Hiei focused his energy on escape.

He wiggled against the vines yet again, to no avail. Letting out a puff of exasperation he let his mind fall back to Plan B.

'_If you can't go to the prey, make the prey go to you.'_

**Help me!** Hiei pleaded telepathically in his best pathetic just-finished-crying-and-is-scared-to-death mental voice. Wards sucked his power, true. But it took no energy to mind-speak. Being a Jagan wielder had perks.

"There, that should do it."

**Help me!**

Itsuki started, as a piteous voice rang through his head telepathically. His heart went out to the speaker immediately and hurriedly he got up to trace the ki residue left by the voice.

Hiei didn't have to wait too long for the fruits of his labor. When the package burst into Youko's room, as he had known he would, he put on what he called 'humiliating but totally helpful because these suckers eat up the hurt and weeping child like candy mode'.

Whimpering occasionally for good measure. It worked like a charm.

Of course.

"Are you okay?" The package asked gently, kneeling down staring sympathetically. Hiei fought the urge to vomit, turning his gag into a sob.

"It hurts." Hiei gritted out, still managing to sound somewhat innocent. Itsuki gasped as if he just noticed the wards.

"You're warded!" He puffed in surprise.

_I would have never noticed._ Hiei thought, fighting the urge to roll his eyes or stab the brain dead fool in front of him (or both).

It didn't matter though because the package was taking off the wards and untying the vines that captured him.

When the last one fell off, he wasted no time in chanting an imprisonment spell, binding Itsuki into one of the five small tablets he carried. Standard procedure after all. Letting victims' roam free as you travel back to clients was rarely a good idea.

A better idea would be to make a date with death.

They were fairly new actually, but when so many assassins began falling in love with their hit, the tablets were created. Ever since their creation there'd been a whole lot less eloping.

In other words…Fool proof.

Yet as Hiei headed off to Sensui's mansion to deliver, he couldn't help but feel a shred of guilt.

For the face of Itsuki before he disappeared into the tablet was not only one of betrayal, fear, or even anger. Such looks were easy to contend with.

No, Itsuki had merely looked sad.

Hiei felt like he had taken some kind of test and failed utterly.

But his job called for a clear mind and stealthy get-away, not empathy. So he stored his troubles into a dusty corner in his head, going off to his client.

Money called after all.

Youko shook with anger as he leaned against his still last standing wall, staring at the spot Kohana—as he had named his pet—had been.

"If you believe you're through with me, you're dead wrong."

He leapt out the large hole in his wall, landing softly on the ground where daffodils hummed happily amidst the wreckage.

Youko petted his plants softly, speaking to them in motherly tones.

"He's small with the most beautiful blood eyes." He whispered to them gently. They nodded, eager to serve their master.

"Go." He told them and they did, eagerly dragging their roots in the ground, creating a long rut in their wake.

Momentarily, Youko's colder self came out, whom he liked to call thief, asking questions he had not touched, as he was afraid of the answer.

_What are you going to do with him when he is found? I say beat, rape, and kill! _

"I don't know." He whispered aloud. "I feel connected to him somehow. Everything in me screams for him. And I don't deny myself of anything. It would be a waste to start now." He stood, dazed, looking into the distance for moments, before coming back to Makai.

"Now stop pestering me, I'm hunting." He growled softly, yet somewhat in amazement as he admitted to himself he might actually have feelings beyond surface looks.

It disturbed him more than anything.

Yet it would not stop him in his quest for reunion with the small slave he had only known for a night.

Hiei splashed cold water on his face to wake himself the next morning. Leaning back on a beech that had grown by the lakeside, he shook his head violently. Nothing was stopping him from taking the two minute run to Sensui's home, give him what he wanted and receive his award.

Hiei frowned, writing it off as he was always on time, never early or late. There was still two more days before he needed to hand in anything.

_Or maybe you just didn't like the face on the package_. His other side spoke snidely, mocking his reasoning. _Maybe because you know this capture has nothing to do with a past war or physic's powers dying out._ _Maybe because you were once a "package" and you know what happens to packages that are wanted so desperately clients send messengers only after mere hours into the mission giving you a time limit._

Hiei shuddered as his inner self hit home._ It's not like I care!_ He argued back. _That was a while back, I got over it. Besides, it's not like I'm going back or anything._

_The unfortunate one isn't me so I shouldn't care!_

_It was only nine months ago. Is your reality really so distorted? And shouldn't being the key word in that last statement…_ His other self spoke softly, fading away on its own accord, leaving Hiei in horrible memories.

**Flashback**

He lay twisted on the cold stone floor, covered only by a light rag that he had called clothing for the past year. Above him stood a golden hair man with deep purple and black clothes and wrapped around him like leathery bat wings, light violet eyes cold in sadistic pleasure as he bent down over the ragged koorime.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard, when I'm done you won't know which way is up." He breathed softly, raking long nails down Hiei's leg carelessly, leaving red trails. Hiei whimpered, curling up in a tight ball.

"Why…Jaki?" He ground out. "I never…" He gasped as the Jaki in question roughly squeezed his dick, twisting it harshly. "Did anything to you!" The last part rushed out before he was pulled into a harsh crushing kiss.

Jaki bit his tongue, making him groan in pain, outlining his too curvy body for a male with his claws in more dark red lines.

"You're so tempting." Jaki mouthed, not really answering the question, as he moved against Hiei's neck, biting down, marking him.

"It took so many legends to capture you. Do you know how hard you are to get? Kept slipping through my fingers."

Hiei huffed as Jaki sucked at his blood, licking it up his back, and then going into a violent streak by throwing Hiei against the stone.

Hiei felt his head crack upon impact and with a mew he tried to sink into the floor. As life went fuzzy, Jaki stood over him, a twisted smile dancing upon his face.

"Your home is so close yet so far away. Right next door really." He cawed happily. "It was a convenient situation wasn't it? An alliance between countries!"

Another hideous laugh. "What do you think Mukuro will do without her heir?"

**End Flashback**

He shivered. That was the in the middle of his torture. He had stayed there a year longer, where he had finally escaped through Jaki's sewage system.

He had then vowed he would become stronger, never be ruled over again in such a manner.

So he became the "assassin who had the audacity to name himself after Mukuro's lost heir". He took a series of jobs and soon became famous for his quick assassinations in the black market.

"I am the hunter. It is not my business what becomes of the prey." He stated firmly, getting up, racing off to the huge house looming overhead that was Sensui.

_I am the hunter._

_Forget about being early or not, just drop of the package so you can get back to remembering that._

Youko perked as a fern made it's way back to his gardens.

"What did you find?" He demanded of it harshly.

Ah, it going to neighbor, yes yes. Neighbor. It rustled before settling back into its original inanimate state.

Youko frowned.

"That could either be Sensui or Jaki. Both insane, but considering Jaki is more likely to accept a slave without asking, he's probably headed there."

Nodding in agreement to himself, he laughed, feeling a bubble well up in his throat in excitement.

"Off we go eh?" He laughed again, taking off; sure he was close to re-claiming his little Kohana.

Hiei strode purposely toward the doors. As he got closer guards materialized from the wood work to block his path.

"State your purpose." They intoned monotonously. Hiei glared at them in greeting.

"Hn. Sensui's package has arrived."

Both nodded simultaneously, melting back from whence they had come.

Hiei frowned as he noted the guard on the right give him a look of pity before disappearing completely, but brushed it off as his imagination.

Even though his gut was screaming at him to turn around and run as fast as he could the other way.

And he didn't have an imagination.

Shaking himself, Hiei flitted swiftly to the main hallway where he had met with the lord in his last visit and waited.

It didn't take long for Sensui himself to come down, eyes alight in a frenzy.

"You got him?" He whispered excitedly.

"Hn."

"Hand him over!" Sensui commanded, stretching out his hand, to which Hiei placed the tablet in.

His client let out a crow of triumph, signaling the guards to close the doors. He frowned severely.

"Money." Hiei grunted, stuffing his hands in his pant's pockets to hide their fidgeting from Sensui.

"No no, you are staying here." He waved impatiently while nodding sagely at Hiei. "I've decided I like you as well. So you won't need money. All my wealth is yours as long as you do exactly what I want, when I want." He casually stated.

He wasn't met with such a calm reaction.

"WHAT?" Hiei blurted wide-eyed, stunned into emotion.

"This was not the deal! I've upheld my part of the bargain and expect you to up hold yours!" Hiei swore profanely for several minutes in several languages. Sensui watched on in interest.

"How interesting. I wasn't aware that such phases could be used as profanity." Sensui shrugged, snapping his fingers. Guards materialized.

Bring him to my chamber."

"Yes master," all intoned, stony eyed.

As one, all attacked Hiei at once, who had regained his composure enough to smirk.

He was angry and needed to blow some steam. How many opportunities like this did you get?

With a yell his sword was slicing through everything it could. The guards dropped like flies, sliced to mincemeat.

More guards streamed into the room and Hiei, with another quick yell immediately disintegrated them. He wasn't, after all, the most sought after hit man for nothing.

Hiei smiled viciously, katana dicing up low-leveled demons left and right. As he swung at the speed of light, his thoughts turned to he had learned more in nine months on his own than the whole thirty years he had been under Mukuro's rule.

Finally, guards lay in pools of blood and Hiei allowed himself a victorious grin.

"Hn." He spun on his heel, keeping his Katana out in case of any more opposition. He went to walk out of the room, but was blown backwards from a gust of icy wind.

"Hello. My name is Touya. I am here to capture you."

Hiei blinked. "Hn. Fool. I will pull your intestines out through your mouth if you do not let me pass."

Touya grinned.

"I am ice, though you talk much more coldly than I could ever. Ah, the irony of life." He chuckled good-humored, and then sobered.

"Unfortunately, I am obliged to my master, whom is not you. My ice shall banish anything you could throw at me."

Hiei snarled.

"Hn." He stood straight, lighting one hand in red flames and hurled it maliciously at the ice demon. The demon's last line had struck a chord in him, opening up an old wound that had never healed.

_I'll never be banished by ice again! _Hiei yelled silently, attacking with fury. His opponent was automatically put on defense, blocking with a rapidly formed ice shield.

Hiei roared, sending a ball of black flame at the ice master, who skidded backwards against the strain.

In retaliation, Touya jumped up, sending out ice shards, which Hiei blocked with his arm.

Ignoring the streams of blood, he went in for the kill, but was blocked as a spray of ice muddled his vision. Growling, Hiei stumbled backwards, only half intentionally.

Quickly regaining his balance in time to block Touya's ice-covered punch, Hiei sent out his own flame-covered fist, which was countered by Touya's other hand.

They froze in this position, breathing heavily upon each other's necks, neither willing to break off first and risk defeat.

"It's been awhile since I've had a real opponent." Touya murmured.

"I only wish we could fight this all out fairly. However, that is not what master wants. I am deeply sorry."

Touya sprung from the stale mate and Hiei followed, lighting his hand on fire for the finishing blow. However, as he pulled back for the punch, something cold encircled itself around his neck, shrinking to fit snugly.

A moment of confusion was followed by a dizzy spell and Hiei crashed to the floor, power drained into what turned out to be a collar around his neck.

"Fuck you." Hiei choked, blacking out from such instantaneous ki drainage.

"I'm sorry" Touya told the unconscious koorime, picking up the small body and carrying him to Sensui's bedroom.

As ordered.


	3. White's Move

Chapter three re-written and up! HAHAHAHA! Ah, I missed this. Tear

Anyways…I don't own (Disclaimer)

Kurama was greeted by a comfortably sitting Jaki.

"Friend! What brings you here?"

Youko smiled as well, though uneasily. Something about Jaki's piercing violet stare had always unnerved him.

"A friend of mine was supposed to visit, but he has yet to arrive. Perhaps he had gotten lost and sought shelter here?" He inquired casually, mimicking Jaki and reclining in hius chair.

Jaki shrugged in response.

"I don't know. Many travelers come to my palace. What does your friend look like?"

Youko lifted his eyes to the ceiling in the pretense of thinking, melting effortlessly into a poker face.

"Small, spiky hair, red eyes, bandage round his forehead. Wearing a pair of pants with three—no, four belts? No shirt."

Since Kurama was staring at the ceiling he missed Jaki's flicker of interest. "Name?"

Kurama smiled sheepishly. "We've only met twice now. I'm afraid my memory isn't what it was two millenniums ago."

Jaki chuckled politely, not buying it for a second. Youko Kurama's memory was nearly as infamous as his reputation of a thieving playboy and he knew the moment he had described his "friend" just who it really was. However, he did not push, opting to end the meeting as soon as possible so as to catch Hiei before the Fox Lord could.

Standing gracefully, Jaki shook his head mournfully. "No one that matches your description has come by. However, feel free to look around. How did the humans say it before they died out? Ah yes. Mi castle es su castle."

Kurama stood as well. "Such kindness. Thank you."

They smiled falsely at each other, before departing.

Neither realized just how similar they're thoughts to each other really were.

_My pet. I will find you again if it's the last thing I do._

Hiei came to in a chamber that was decorated solely in black, blues, and greens. Groaning, Hiei idly thought the colors matched how he felt.

Like one big bruise.

Rolling on the bed he realized he was laying on, he felt at the collar tied around his neck.

Coughing feebly, Hiei gingerly tested the ward. He was rewarded with a jolt of electricity shooting up his spine.

"Ah." Hiei gasped. He waited until his tremors died down to a tolerable rate before sitting up and clutching the collar which by touch only he surmised to be created from Makai leather, a substance about as tough as human titanium.

In other words …

"I'm screwed." Hiei muttered, bringing his hands up to rub his face tiredly.

"Such a negative attitude." An amused voice spoke. Hiei whirled around to come face to face with the 'package'.

"Itsuki's the name." He spoke, holding out a hand.

Hiei stared at the outstretched hand, making no move to take it. Slowly, Itsuki let it drop, smiling in slight embarrassment.

"May I ask you name?" Itsuki enquired curiously, raising an eyebrow delicately.

"Hn." Was the answer. He might be off the job, but names were powerful things and if he was a package, he would do all in his power to seek vengeance against the demon who had captured him.

After all, that's what he had done last time.

"Very well. I hope you do not mind going by the name 'Kohona' then?"

Hiei twitched. "Hn." _Do I LOOK like a Kohona?_

_You must if demons are repeatedly coming up with such a name for you. However traumatizing this must be for you though, first things first: escape._

_I'm screwed remember?_

_Unscrew yourself then! You die I die!_

…

However no fault could be found in his inner voice's argument, so curtly nodding he went about searching for any weapons that were still on him.

His sword was still hidden among the bushes at fox's gates.

His mini shooting knives were currently in the possession of his sister.

His heel blades were out of the question as he was currently barefoot.

And the pocketknife Mukuro had given him had obviously been found and taken away by Sensui's minions.

Snarling in frustration, Hiei ran his hands through his hair.

"Having trouble Kohona-kun?"

Hiei's head snapped up to Itsuki, whom he'd forgotten about. Itsuki smiled gently, taking out a small switchblade, holding it out to the koorime.

"Here. Use this."

Hiei eyed the weapon suspiciously. "What do you gain from letting me go?"

Itsuki smiled wider. "Nothing at all. Actually I knew I was going to be caught from the very beginning. It's a game Mr. Sensui and I came up with two thousand years ago. You see, we've been lovers for quite some time now. We'll play around for a year or so than Sensui will run and I'll try to catch him."

Hiei blinked, unsure what to say. So, in true Hiei form…

"Hn."

He snatched the blade from Itsuki, stuffing it in his pocket just as a guard poked his head in the room.

"Itsuki." He gruffly said. "Master wants you."

Itsuki chuckled lightly. "Of course he does." He swept out of the room, the guard trotting behind.

Hiei waited until he could no longer hear footsteps, then took the knife out of the pocket and began sawing through the collar determinedly.

Kurama was no fool and he knew Jaki wasn't either. He knew the lord wasn't letting on as much as he knew, which could only mean he knew who Kurama was talking about.

The Youko pursed his lips, tapping a long finger against his chin in thought.

"Either Kohona isn't here or Jaki's holding him down in the dungeons." Kurama's eyes narrowed, before he melted back into his poker face.

Tapping the nearest guard on the shoulder Kurama was quickly escorted to Jaki's throne room.

A few minutes Jaki rushed in, looking a bit hassled.

"Ah, Kurama, I'd thought you'd left." Jaki said, looking a bit dismayed. "I must say, you've caught me at a bad time, I was just about to go visit Sensui."

Kurama smiled apologetically as his brain whirred into action. _Kohona can't be here, otherwise Jaki would have no reason leave._

_He's at Sensui's._

"So sorry. Actually, Sensui was my next stop for looking for my friend." Kurama replied openly. "Perhaps I may join you?"

Jaki froze, horrified, and then let his face melt into one of welcome.

"Of course my friend." He tittered graciously. Putting his hands into his pockets, he sauntered up to Youko lazily.

"What's a journey without a friend?"

Kurama smiled. "I don't know. What?"

Jaki's smile twisted cruelly and in a movement to fast to follow took out a small vial filled with a bubbling yellow liquid and rammed it down Kurama's throat.

"Peaceful." Jaki laughed as Kurama dropped to his knees, coughing.

"If the poison doesn't get you the internal bleeding will. Glass tends to do that." Jaki laughed again.

"Chow."

He left the fallen Youko Kurama sprawled on the ground.

It was about ten minutes into trying to cut though the unbreakable collar that Hiei realized the door the guard had opened was still…well…open.

Hiei gaped at his own stupidity, repressing the urge to violently hack himself to bits for overlooking such an obvious escape route.

Re-pocketing the blade, Hiei walked out into the clear hallway.

Only to have alarms to go off.

Hiei cursed again as guards poured out of walls, taking off at a human paced run, the fastest he could go with drained powers.

Taking a sharp left, he hid behind a large flower.

His pursuers ran past him and he let out a sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Turning around, Hiei prepared himself for any more surprise attacks.

He took one cautious step…

And was promptly eaten by the flower he'd just hid behind.

Hiei awoke a very close face.

"Ah!" He gasped, throwing a punch in reflex. It made contact and the face went flying back with a thump and an "ompf".

The face, which had turned into a pale skinned man with long dark hair pulled up into a thick ponytail got up slowly, rubbing the side of his face. Elvin ears twitched the tattered that sat precariously on his straightened.

"Sheesh little guy. Just trying to help." The demon whined, folding his arms disgruntled.

Hiei bit his lip guiltily. "Hiei." He told the demon in way of apology, jabbing his thumb into his chest.

The demon perked up, unfurling huge bat wings. "Oh! Nice to meet you Hiei! I'm Kuronue!"

"Hn."

Kuronue grinned, undeterred. "Are you hungry? There's not much to eat here, but I just caught a nest of crickets so they're hot off the stove!"

"Hn."

"Already ate last week? Okay. Well how'd you get stuck in here? I'm here to die. But I'm not dead yet!" The last part Kuronue yelled, laughing manically.

Hiei sweat dropped (It had to happened sooner or later). "Hn. I'll be going now."

He turned to see if there was anyway he could climb back the way he had come when an anguished howl stopped him in his tracks. Kuronue let out a screech, diving to Hiei's feet, latching onto his legs, sniffing.

"Don't leave me!" He exclaimed. "I've been living here for years ever since Sensui shoved me in here! I can't leave and no one knows I'm here except for him, so I'm so lonely!" He whined, sounding more like a hurt dog than the bat human hybrid he was.

Hiei nodded, awkwardly leaning down to give the crying demon a quick pat on the head.

"I won't go." Hiei sighed. Kuronue lifted his head, eyes glistening.

"Really?"

"Really."

"You promise?"

"Yes."

"Pinky Swear?"

Hiei frowned. "What?"

Kuronue gasped, leaping up and twining his pinky finger around Hiei's own. "Pinky Swear!"

Hiei shrugged one shoulder. "If I will satisfy your intense insecurity needs then yes. Pinky Swear."

Kuronue Smiled.

"Sooooooooooo…you never told me how you got stuck down here did cha Hiei?"

Now, usually a Hn and a none of your business would be the typical response, but since Hiei had had a bad day that needed to get itself off his chest and took this Kuronue as nice a demon as one could get—if a bit bipolar—he decided to give Kuronue the whole story.

"Fell."

Kuronue nodded understandingly. "Sensui bribed you a lot of money to bring his lover Itsuki to him so he could win the game they were playing, but in the middle of it decided he wanted you too huh?"

Hiei blinked, dumbstruck. No one should be able to decode his language!

Yet this stranger just did.

_Aw, you're bonding. _His inner self sniveled. He just as silently told it to go stick something up his ass and boil his head.

"You too?" He asked aloud to Kuronue, who nodded. "Except I had to capture Sensui under Itsuki's orders." He paused. "That was before tablets were invented and Sensui asked me to be his whore when we got to Itsuki…_his _castle. I refused and got shoved down here to die." He stopped his monologue, eyes losing focus to as they went back to memories of the past.

"How'd you survive?" Hiei asked curiously, snapping Kuronue back to the present. "Crickets won't hold anyone over for more than a few weeks."

Kuronue smiled sadly. "I found that small mushrooms lived in corners, thriving off the wine that leaks down here. It's easy to cook and good to eat. It gets kind of tiring to eat over and over, but as bugs and rats are rare, that's my main source of food and drink. Take what you can get, you know?"

Hiei nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. When your left to your own devices its either take what you have or die.

But there was no time for pity. Kuronue had made it perfectly clear that Hiei wouldn't be allowed to leave without Kuronue himself. So…

"How about I make a bargain with you?" He asked casually, a half-formed plan coming to mind, complete with satisfactory catch and all.

Kuronue's eyes narrowed at the mention of a deal.

"What kind of deal?" He asked warily, crouching over in a defensive position that looked more comical than anything.

"Simple really. You feed me: I'll bust you out of here." Hiei said, shrugging nonchalantly keeping it simple in case the bat was slow as well as over-emotional.

Much to Hiei's relief the hybrid was anything but stupid.

However, he _was _over-emotional.

"You'd do that for me?" He whispered hopefully, eyes glistening with unshed tears of happiness.

Hiei backed up, glaring.

"I said I would!" He snapped. Kuronue whooped, running to a far corner in the small dusty "house".

"I'll get the lunch, you just get us out of here! Oh I hope the crickets are still warm!"

Hiei nodded, not really paying attention to the last statement as his full focus turned towards finding any hitch in the gloomy place. When nothing but warped and/or splintered wood met his two natural eyes, he ripped off his bandana to let his third unnatural eye to have a look around.

_Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, noth—ah-ha! I knew there had to be a break! _He smirked at the small disturbance where the magic had obviously been sown together, leaving a small break.

Just waiting to be torn open and taken advantage of.

"They just don't make barriers the way they used to." Hiei sighed.

"Lucky me."


	4. Fair Play

Jaki reached Sensui's doorstep within the same day. Casually, he sauntered up to the doorstep, knocking heavily with a knuckle.

On cue, the two guards materialized from the wood. Jaki gave the two a half-smile.

"I'm here to see Sensui." He declared.

The "help" nodded in unison, swinging the door open for Jaki's entrance.

"An escort will be with you shortly." The guard on the right intoned as Jaki strolled through to the main entrance.

The doors banged shut.

Jaki hummed, frowning at the tapestries draping from the walls. He walked over to the nearest, picking up the green tassel and fingering it with slight disgust.

"Jaki I presume?" A cool voice interrupted Jaki's negative thoughts on the décor.

Jaki dropped the picture gently, and then turned to see a turban wrapped demon, blue eyes settled coolly on him.

"I am Touya." The demon told Jaki, bowing.

Jaki nodded curtly in response. "Jaki." He replied curtly. "I have a need great need to speak to the lord of this house Sensui. It is an emergency."

Touya closed his eyes briefly in understanding before walking down a branched off hallway, motioning Jaki to follow.

Several hallways, staircases, and trapdoors later Touya finally stopped at an intricately done door, gold lettering spelling out "Sensui" encased in a rose colored box.

"Master." Touya called respectfully. "I have a brought a guest to you."

Some shuffles were heard inside and Sensui cracked open the door. He didn't speak for a moment, instead choosing to rake his eyes over Jaki's thin seven foot tall body, eyes lingering on his long golden hair and stopping to rest on violet eyes. Sensui's mouth twisted upwards into a toothless smile.

"What can I do for you?" He all but purred, leaning on the handle of his a jar door, making it groan from the sudden pressure.

Jaki preened subconsciously at the attention but quickly righted his attentions back to his original goal as memories of a small bleeding fire demon flashed past his eyes.

"Yes actually," Jaki smiled back. "I was wondering if a small demon had come by recently. Small, wears black, spiky hair, red eyes. Pretty."

Sensui hmmed, buying time as he plotted.

_Definitely a toy to keep. _The woman within Sensui chuckled.

_I wonder who would last longer under torture? Him or Hiei? _Kazuya, the harsher side of him murmured cruelly.

Sensui nodded, coming to a decision. Turning his awareness outwards he smiled again at his guest.

"You're in luck! A demon of your description came through here not but a day ago, requesting a place to sleep. Touya, if you would show our dear friend here to the room our spiky haired friend is?"

"Of course master." Touya intoned monotonously, under standing perfectly what was going through Sensui's mind and the precise steps to carry the plan out. "Is there anything else before we go?"

Sensui frowned. "Yes actually. You and your red haired sidekick can take the day off. You've done well. Touya."

Touya bowed, letting out the first smile in all the time he'd been under Sensui's service.

"Of course master."

He bowed to Jaki.

"Follow me sir."

Kurama lay on the floor where Jaki had left him hours ago, convulsing every few minutes. Intense coughing fits overtook him at random and eyes widen and glazed in interchanging intervals.

Another seizure hit and Kurama screamed in pain, choking up blood. Weakly he shoved two long fingers down his throat, squeezing eyes tightly.

More blood poured out of his mouth, staining the front of his pristinely white shirt, but this time the small vial that Jaki had shoved down Youko's throat came up with the red liquid, slightly cracked, but corked and holding.

Coughing hoarsely, Kurama sat up weakly, a weak, but pleased smile dancing across his lips.

"Thought he had me for a second there." Kurama tried to laugh but had to stop as he spit out some bile.

Wiping his mouth in disgust, Kurama took the hem of his ruined tunic; washing off his body fluids from the vial Kurama placed the vile in one pants pocket.

"I'll just keep this..." He mused aloud. "Maybe I'll get a chance to return the favor."

Youko smiled wider as the vision of Jaki writhing in the throes of death from his of toxin flashed across his eyes.

"Later." He told himself firmly. Revenge would come after he had Kohona firmly back in his clutches.

Speaking of Kohona…he pulled a seek-seed out his hair. Inserting some of his chi into it gently, he set it on the ground.

It shook, and then burst, blooming into a small black dog, tinted green with leaves in place of ears and a daisy coming out of one eye.

Kurama fondly looked down upon his creation.

"Fire demon, about five feet even, red eyes, spiky hair, cold temper, probably within a three hundred mile radius of where we're standing at most."

The plant dog swiveled his good eye up at his master, panting hard. He stayed like that for a moment, before barking twice in understanding and took off north, Youko hot on his heels.

"Can't hide from me!" He laughed manically and the dog barked along happily.

"It's only a matter of time!"

Back with Kuronue Hiei sneezed.

"Someone must be talking about you!" Kuronue exclaimed, munching on his last fried cricket.

Hiei frowned as his brain conjured up with a picture of a manically laughing Youko.

He had no clue how accurate he really was.

"I hope not." Hiei muttered, returning his attention back to the slowly widening crack.

Since he still had the ki-draining collar on he had to do everything manually. Thus, it was taking much longer to break open. Hiei sighed as another finger started to bleed from being scraped against raw energy for so long.

_When I get out, I swear I'm never putting even a toe in lord's houses again. They're all insane or violent._

He nodded to himself, then added a quick after thought his mental memo. _Or both._

Hiei growled in frustration at how a relatively simple retrieval task had gotten so out of hand and in his anger ripped his hand through.

He gritted his teeth angrily, shaking the bleeding hand once than returning to his task.

"Damn collar." He snarled.

"If you'd like, I could take the collar off?" Kuronue offered brightly, leaning back in the chair.

Hiei paused. Slowly, he put his hands down until they hung at his sides. He turned around gradually until he finally faced the still beaming Kuronue.

"You can…take the collar…off?" Hiei asked almost lethargically. Kuronue nodded rapidly, making his tattered hat bob.

"If you like."

Hiei felt his lips twitch upwards into what could be called a smile.

"But only if I'd like?" He asked, the annoying twinge to grin widely becoming stronger.

"Yup!" Kuronue beamed harder.

Hiei felt a vein in his forehead throb. "Yes." He uttered. "I would like the collar off very much."

Kuronue nodded again, even faster than last time. He got up, knocking the chair to the floor. Sauntering over happily, he reached behind Hiei. Biting the side of his lip, he fumbled for a moment, than grinned as a small click was heard and the collar fell off Hiei easily.

"There!" Kuronue proclaimed. "All done!"

Hiei nodded, feeling his power surge back through him, considerably weaker than usual but there.

"Say…" Hiei started, still trying to keep his mouth from having its way. "You like that hat?"

Kuronue frowned, subconsciously patting the tattered thing. "It's probably the most precious thing to me. It was given to me by a very dear friend, one whose memory I hold dear."

Hiei nodded, then snatched the hat off Kuronue's head, incinerating it.

"YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN THE DAMN COLLAR OFF THE WHOLE FUCKING TIME AND YOU CHOSE NOT TO TELL ME ABOUT THIS?" Here Hiei took one of his bloodied hands, pointing at the slightly widened crack.

"WE COULD HAVE BEEN OUT AND FREE BY NOW GOD DAMN IT!"

Hiei huffed and silence over took the two.

Then Kuronue let out a shriek.

"MY HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!" He rushed to his makeshift kitchen and grabbed a little container off the counter.

"My hat…" He sniffled, scooping the remains into the pot and topping it carefully. "My hat…" He sniffed again, clutching it to his chest.

Hiei grunted. "Suck it up. The thing had no intrinsic value anyway."

Kuronue wiped at his face, angrily glaring at Hiei. "It was valuable to me!"

Hiei gulped as the chimera began to cry. "Fine." He muttered softly. "I know a certain person that owes me a favor anyway. He'll be able to fix your hat."

Kuronue glanced up, face tear stained.

"Really?"

"Hn."

"Really!"

"Hn."

"REALLY?"

Hiei felt his vein begin to pulse and was severely beginning his impulse to do something kind to the demon who had fed him, when a loud yell distinctly Sensui was heard.

"WHAT THE FUCK? HE'S GONE!"

Hiei looked up. "That's our cue." In a flash he had punched through the shield, shattering it.

"Let's go! The sooner we leave, the sooner I can fix your hat!"

This was obviously all the motivation the Kuronue needed as he leapt up, container still clutched tightly against his chest, and followed the flitting Hiei up the rat hole into the main body of the castle.

They dodged the security silently and efficiently and within no more than a few minutes the castle door was in sight.

Hiei allowed heat to run through his veins, racing to gather as flames in his hand.

With a particularly fierce yell, Hiei let the red flames loose, reeking havoc on the door.

The two demons jumped out of the smoking ruins of Sensui's door.

And straight into a thin, but solid body.

Hiei blinked as his brain tried to comprehend what just happened to put him on top of a currently stunned Kuronue.

As a niggling sense of fear coursed through him, Hiei looked up slowly to meet the golden eyes of one silver fox, a strange looking dog (dog?) by his side.

"Did you miss me?"

Hiei groaned, standing up.

"Why me?"


End file.
